Advertising device



Dec. 14, 1943. D. L.. KIMBALLA 2,336,548

ADVERTIS ING DEVI CE Filed oct.- 4, 1940 3 Sheets-sheet 1 "3) /\7 5 23 4e e wm@ nu@ 3 www E /4 D'ec. 14, 1943. D. l.. KlMBALl.

DVERTISING DEVICE Filed Oct. 4, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 @aff L. /mad/ @pMs Y Dec. 14, 1943. D, l.. KIMBALL ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed Oct. 4. 19403 Sheets-Sheet 5 wm g Patented Dec. 14, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE3 Claims.

This invention relates to an advertising device, particularly to thetype having illuminated windows or ports holding advertising matter.

A major object of this invention is to provide an electrical advertisingdevice of simple rugged construction, easily fabricated and assembled.

It is another object to provide an advertising device made in severalsections whereby each may be separately painted or otherwise treatedbefore assembly.

It is another object to provide an advertising device having two units,one with a moving legend and theother having periodically illuminatedlegends.

Another object is to provide an advertising de. vice having two units,one illuminated constantly and the other having legends periodicallyilluminated in sequence.

It is another object to provide an advertising device having easilyreplaced transparent illuminated elements.

Another object is to provide a novel advertising device of pleasingappearance, arranged and operated to attract the attention of thepublic.

Another object is to provide an advertising device having a plurality ofsimilar mountings for advertising legends, whereby the legends can beinterchanged.

It is another object to provide an advertising device having an openingin its face, with a metal frame xed in the opening, the metal framehaving a recess for seating a ring-like member for holding advertisingmatter closing the opening.

It is another object to provide an advertising device having elementsbearing advertising legends, the elements being fabricated of commonmaterials, such as paper, cloth, etc., and being easily replaced orinterchanged.

It is yanother object of this invention to provide an advertising devicehaving radially aligned rows of advertising media which are illuminatedone at a time.

It is another object to provide an advertising device having twoparallel faces with transparent windows therein and means forsimultaneously illuminating windows in each face.

Further objects will become apparent from the following specication andthe accompanying drawings, and from the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation partly in section of one embodiment of theinvention;

Figure 2 is a section taken along line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section taken through one of the ring-like elements whichclamps the transparent' Figure 10y is a sectional view along` the line.

lll-Ill of Figure 8.

With continued reference to the drawings, wherein like referencecharacters are employed to designate the same elements wherever theyoccur, and with particular reference to Figures 1 and 2, an upperhousing H and a lower housing I2 are arranged in vertical alignment, thelower housing being suspended from the upper housing by means of chains2.5 and the upper housing being attached in any desired manner to asuitable support.

The upper housing is formed `of top, bottom, back and side walls r|3|6,respectively, its front wall being provided by a window I] which is heldby a frame i8 suitably fastened as by screws I 9 to the housing. Thewindow I1 carries any desired advertising legend. Lamp sockets 2| arefastened to the bottom wall I4 of the housing and support bulbs 22,which when lit, illuminate the window l1. The top wall of the upperhousing is provided with openings 23 above each of the lamps wherebyheat can escape from the housing, In order to prevent light from shiningthrough these openings, there are provided light shields 24 which arespaced from, but cover the opening 23, shielding the openings from thelight.'

The lower housing |2 has a cylindrical' side wall 26 and a back wall 21.The front wall of the lower housing is for-med in part by an outer frontwall member 28. Ports 29 lie between the outer edge of the wall member28 and the edge ef a central opening 3| in the wall member.

These `ports of which there are ten in the embodiment shown in Figure 1are spaced equal distances apart. The front wall of the lower housing iscompleted by an inner front wall member 32 nesting in the centralopening 3| in the wall member 28. The wall member 32 also has a centralopening 33 in which is mounted the face 35 of a clock 34. If desired,the front wall can be made from a single member as shown in Figures 6and 7 instead of two, but when made in two parts as shown in Figures 1to 4 they may be painted in different colors or made of diierentmaterials.

A plurality of radial partitions 35, extending the full width of thehousing, divide the housing into a number of compartments. These radialpartitions extend from a point near the clock 34 to the side wall 25 ofthe housing and lie between adjacent ports 29 in the wall member 28. Theback wall 21 and the two front wall members may be fastened to theradial partitions 36 by means of screws 3T.

The two housings and their structural members such as the partitions maysuitably be made either of metal, wood, or berboard, etc.

Lamp sockets 38 are attached to the radial partitions and carry lamps 39which illuminate the compartments and the ports 29. Inner partitions 4ladjacent the inner ends of the partitions 36 connect these partitions toform a fourth side for each compartment. The partitions 4! themselvesform a central compartment 42 withing which the clock 34 and a motordriven timer 43 are housed.

The ports 29 in the outer front wall member 28 are covered bytransparent sections 44 which have advertising matter 40 painted orotherwise placed thereon. When the lamps 39 are lighted thesetransparent sections bearing the advertising matter are illuminated sothat the advertising matter is clearly visible,

Ring-like clamping rims or frame members 45 made of light gauge metalare inserted into the ports for the purpose of holding the transparentsections. As shown in Figures 3, the frame members have an exteriorflange 45 larger than the port 29 which ange keeps the frame from beingpushed through the port. An interior flange 46a forms an abutmentagainst which the transparent sections are clamped. The frame also has abulging portion 4Gb which is spaced from the exterior flange 4S by adistance equal to the thickness of the front wall member 28. The framemembers are broken at one point so that they can be contracted andinserted into the ports. When so inserted each frame springs back to itscorrect circular shane and clamps the wall 28 between c the flange 45and bul-ge 451), the frame member thus becoming a permanent part of thewall member 28.

The portions 45h forming the exterior bulges leave a rounded groove 45don the interior of the frame, closely adjacent the interior anges 45d.After the frame members have been inserted into the ports thetransparent advertising sections 44 are placed therein, resting againstthe interior flanges 45a. Wire spring means 46c are then inserted andexpanded into the groove, clamping the transparent sections against theanges 45a. The wire springs 45e are broken at one point similarly to theframe members 4 5 so that they can be contracted'ior insertion. rThesprings are provided with an inwardly turned lip 45e as shown in Figurel, so that a tool can be inserted under the lip to contract and removethe spring. The transparent sections 44 may thus advanta-geously be madeof paper, cloth, eelludoid, glass or any low cost transparent material.

Cylindrical members 41, shown in enlarged detail in Figure 4, having abead 48 along one edge, are fastened around the exterior edge of'wallmembers 28 and 32. When inserted in this manlil ner, the bead 48 on thecylindrical member will cover the space between the periphery of theinner wall member 32 and the edge of the central opening 3| of the wallmember 28. 'Ihe bead on the cylindrical member applied to the peripheraledge of the outer wall member, being parallel to the aforementionedbead, gives the advertising device a finished and pleasing appearance.

The timer 43 in the central compartment 42 has a plurality of segments49 (Figure 5) which are engaged by the motor driven Contact arm 5|. Asshown in the electrical diagram of Figure 5, a single wire 52 connectsto one of the terminals of each of the lamps 22 and 39 and also to thepower terminal 53. The other power terminal 54 is connected to a switch55 which is connected to the contact arm 5I by a wire 56. Each of thesegments 43 is connected by a wire 51 to the remaining terminal on eachof the lamps 39. The switch 55 is also connected by a wire 58 to theremaining terminal of each of the lamps 22.

When the switch 55 is closed, all of the lights 22 in the upper housingIl are continuously lighted. However, the lamps 39 in the lower housingare lighted and extinguished one by one as the contact arm 5| slidesonto and oil the segments 49. As each of the lights 39 is turned on, itilluminates its respective compartment and shines through thecorresponding transparent advertising section 44. The drive for thecontact arm of the timer may be either a spring wound motor or anelectric motor connected into the same circuit which turns on the lightson the upper housing il. The drive preferably is such that the contactarm makes one revolution in approximately one minute and the size of thesegments 49 and the contact arm 5| are such that each contact remainsclosed for a period of approximately six seconds. Rotation of thecontact arm is preferably in a clockwise manner.

The inner front wall member has a series of advertisements 49 on itsface radially aligned with each of the ports 29 or transparent sections44. This advertising matter on the inner front wall member 32 is of asame nature as that in its corresponding transparent section 44 wherebyeach transparent section is illuminated and the corresponding radiallyaligned advertisement on the wall member 32 is naturally connectedtherewith by the person looking at the sign. The clock and face 35,which in themselves attract attention, may be replaced if desired by aclosure showing advertising matter. The clock may be mechanically drivenor, if electrically driven, it may be continuously connected to thepower terminals 53 and 54. v

In the embodiment shown in Figure 6, the front wall member, which may bein one part as in Figure 6 or in two parts as in Figures 1 and 2, hasports 29a radially aligned with the ports 29 in the outer front wallmember and covered by similar but smaller transparent sections 44a, heldin place by ring-like clamping or frame members similar to, but smallerthan, those shown in Figure 3. Since these ports are in alignment withthe ports 29 and overlie the same compartment formed by the partition36, these ports will be illuminated at the same time 'as the ports 23,whereby an advertisement on a transparent section 44d in a port 29a willbereadily connected with the advertisement on a transparent section 44in a port 29. If desired, a second lamp may be placed under each of theports 29a, and connected in parallel with the corresponding lamp 39 sothat both lamps in each compartment are lighted at escasas the sametime. In this embodiment the transparent sections Gila take the place ofthe advertising matter 4531 painted on the inner front wall member 32 ofthe embodiment shown in Figures l and 2.

In the embodiment shown in Figure '7 the back wall 2'! of the lowerhousing is replaced by a wall similar to the front wall member which maybe either of the types shown in Figure 1 or Figure 6. As in the frontwall members, clamping members clamp the iexible transparent sections4ta and lieb in the ports 2gb of the back wall member 28h. Similarly theback wall member may have 4a clock provided in a central opening, orthis opening may be closed by means of other advertising matter.

The upper housing i I in the embodiment of Figure 7 will also have itsback Wall replaced by a transparent window attached in the same manneras is the Window I7 in Figure 2.

It is to be understood that any number of annular wall members havingradially aligned spaced ports for advertising matter thereon may beprovided, or if the wall is in one piece, any number of radially alignedspaced ports may be provided.

It is also to be understood that one or both of the sets of ports 29 and29a on one or both sides of the sign can be dispensed with and theadvertisements merely painted on the surfaces of the front or rear wallmembers, and illuminated by a projected light from the head piece Il.riihus all of the radial legends would be illuminated simultaneously.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Figures 8 to 10 theilluminated upper housing is modied in that a continuously movingtransparent belt 6I is visible and illuminated by the lamp-s 22. Thebelt 6! is driven by a vertical anged driving pulley 63 inside thehousing at one end, a similar idler pulley (not shown) being located atthe other end of the housing. flo prevent the belt from sagging betweenthe pulleys a plurality of horizontal rollers lid support it along itslength, the bottom edge of the belt resting upon the rollers. A springheld belt tightener pulley 55 presses against the belt aloner one pointin its length to take up slack. The pulley is preferebly mounted on ashaft carried in one end of a nat spring E, the other end of the springbeing suitably fastened to a Wall of the housing.

.An electric motor 5'@ drives the shaft 58 through a reduction gearindicated at GS and 1l.

In this embodiment of my invention the glass front of the upper housingis replaced by a Wall having a suitable horizontal transparent sectionl2 in its upper portion, this section bearing any desired legend, Whichis illuminated by the lamps 52. The bottom portion of the Wall has ahorizontal slit or opening 13 past which the transparent belt 5! ismoved, being illuminated by the lamps 22 during its passage past theopening. The opening 73 preferably has a height less than that of thebelt 6l so that the upper and lower edges of the belt are not visiblefrom the front of the upper housing.

In order to guide the belt closely adjacent the inner side of theopening 'i3 a vertical roller 1d is provided adjacent each end of theopening.

The transparent belt can have any desired legend painted thereon andpreferably is driven at a speed of approximately one revolution aminute. Access to the interior of the housing for adjustments andrepairs is obtained by the removal of the Ifron't wall Awhich `may Vberemovably attached to the housing in Vany desired manner.

-In the illustrated embodiment the belt is designed to be approximately`8 feet long and 111/2 inches high, carrying a legend of about letters,each letter being approximately 1 inch high and 1/2 inch wide.

The motor 6l is connected to the lines 52 and 58 in parallel with thelamps illuminating the upper housing so that it is operated to drive thebelt at the same time the lamps are lighted. The connections of themotor 6l in the electric circuit are indicated in dotted lines in Figure5.

This embodiment of the upper housing shown in Figures 8 to 10 canoptionally be used together with any embodiment of the lower housing.

The advertising device with illuminated transparent ports when assembledforms a pleasing display and due to the fact that only one or else aplurality of radially aligned ports are illuminated at one time, theobservers attention is attracted to the illuminated port or ports. Adevice of this kind is peculiarly adapted for use in automobile servicestations, in which case the radially aligned advertisements such as dand 40 may be used to draw attention to service operations which shouldbe performed at periodic intervals. For instance, the car should belubricated every thousand miles. There should be mechanical inspectionevery five thousand miles. Oil lters should be replaced every eightthousand miles, etc. Spark plugs should be replaced every ten thousandmiles, etc. In a sign used in a service station, the ports in the innerfront Wall member may bear the legend every one thousand miles, every vethousand miles, every eight thousand miles, etc. The ports in the outerfront Wall member would bear a legend corresponding to the operationwhich should be performed at that mileage.

The device may also be used in restaurants and in cocktail rooms inwhich case the advertising legends would indicate the types of meals orthe types of drinks served at various times during the day. Otherpossible uses are obvious.

The lights behind the ports, when burned out can be replaced by removingthe corresponding ring 4de which holds the transparent section in theport. The lamp is then in full view and accessible for removal andreplacement.

The invention may be embodied in other specic forms Without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription, and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States LettersPatent is:

1. In an advertising device, a housing including a wall having a port, aframe having a line of separation at one side adapting said frame forcontraction whereby said frame member may be inserted into said port andexpanded to dispose said frame in said support, anges on said framedesigned to engage the edges of said port and secure said frame therein,a ange on an inner peripheral edge of said frame, a removable section oftransparent material disposed in said frame with its peripheral edge inengagement With said last-mentioned flange and covering the opening insaid frame, a snap ring insertble into said frame to clamp saidremovable section in said frame and means in said housing forilluminating said section.

2. In an advertising device, a housing including a Wall having a port, acontractible frame adapted to be inserted into said port and expandedinto contact with the peripheral edge of said port, means on said framefor securing said frame in said port, means extending inwardly of saidframe for receiving a transparency containing advertising indicia, atransparency containing advertising indicia disposed in said frame incontact with said last-mentioned means and means for securing saidtransparency in said frame.

3. In an advertising device, a housing including a wall having inner andouter aligned rows of ports, means dividing said housing into aplurality of compartments each of which has a cooperating inner andouter port opening thereinto, a transparent section mounted in each cisaid inner ports and containing advertising mat-- ter different fromthat of each of the other of said transparent sections, a transparentsection mounted in each of said outer ports and containing advertisingmatter related to its cooperating inner port, electric lights disposedin each of said compartments and adapted to simultaneously illuminatethe cooperating inner and outer ports opening thereinto, a plurality ofcontacts corresponding in number to the number of compartments in saidhousing, connections individually connecting each of said lights to oneof said contacts, a source of electrical energy and means forindividually connecting said contacts in predetermined timed relation tosaid source of electrica1 energy whereby the related advertising matterof the transparent sections of each of said inner and outer ports issimultaneously illuminated to transmit a visual message to an 20observer.

DON L. KIMBALL.

